Watching late night TV and Oprah came on as a guest. The audience and spectators responded with shrieks and hysteria. Peoples perception of Oprah liken her to a TV sage, but where's the wisdom? You only get some second hand or even third hand prejudices....a product of her time.Oprah does mention meditation, she's a staunch feminist, she exudes much sympathy for over weight women, pro African American, pro Obama, loves the limelight, likes to chatter, certainly is enamoured with herself.A product of her time?

I like her. She helped get Obama elected president. When Obama was still relatively unknown she helped get the word out by asking him to run.

She is very rich and successful, but she earned it all -- self-made. And she gives quite a bit to charities. She is not Buddhist, but has many beliefs and ideas similar to Buddhism and especially New Age. Some Christians hate her. See this video:

David, I agree that she's done some good by talking about meditation. I'm not so sure about her teaming up with Deepak Chopra who knows how to promote himself only too well.I was also pleased with her backing Obama but since the head of Monsanto is now in an government advisory position; add to that the hounding of Assange, Snowdon and Manning.... I'm not so sure anymore?This new age path seems to be very self congratulatory, filled with narcissism and is verging on hedonism don't you think?The fact that she's enormously wealthy and self made doesn't make her any sort of an expert on spiritual matters.

She definitely knows how to make money. Nw if that is a positive quality or not, I dunno...

"My religion is not deceiving myself."Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."The Supreme Source - The Kunjed GyalpoThe Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde

Is it possible for things that are "good" and desirable to co exist with materialism and new-agey thought? I think so. I may personally find the new age thing shallow, but part of me wonders whether for some people, this is their only possible exposure to people like TNH, or even Eckhart Tolle. I'm not a big Tolle fan personally, but it may be what resonates with some people, and it's better those people have no exposure at all to that kind of thought. Her form of Christianity also is at least preferable to the form practiced by many of my countrymen.

"it must be coming from the mouthy mastermind of raunchy rapper, Johnny Dangerous”

The fact that she's enormously wealthy and self made doesn't make her any sort of an expert on spiritual matters.

Can you show any evidence that she has made out herself to be any kind of expert? She's a pro at what she does and speaking or presenting a topic, secular or religious, with a level of confidence as she has done over the years of her career does not necessarily make or mean that she is any expert nor have claimed to be one... at least I don't think so...That's why when I read some of the religious conservative views on her, I was wondering, she's not entitled to her opinion? Only theirs matter? I mean, why should they even care about what Oprah says? She's a talk host and a business woman! She doesn't need to pander to anyone's agenda. If they don't like it, there's always the switch off mode or the flip to another channel option...Believe it or not, one is not punished for not watching her shows...

I did not see many of her later shows but I remember one that I watched about compassion in daily life. She said "that is the human quality that sets us apart, compassion," and went on to cover stories about greatly compassionate people. She had another show on forgiveness that I watched where, for example, the mother of a child killed by a drunk driver was able to forgive the man responsible for her child's death.So from what I saw, it seemed she did really try to find ways to get people to cultivate their positive qualities.

plwk, Yes, in a way she's placed herself on a spiritual pedestal. Oprah's got so much clout, she can make or break any writer. Winfrey came out with Tolle and Deepak Choprah as a must read. Consequently her influence is so masssive in America (with all the bells and whistles) that the new age gurus sold their books by the millions.l What is fake, what is real? Make of it what you will.I remember a couple of years ago Rumi's book of poems became a best seller in the States. Rumi pours his heart out in an intoxicated display of love for god. Most people misunderstanding, saw it as romantic poems and gave it to their lovers on valentines day. What does anyone really understand? You just have to laugh.

It is disappointing that she didn't recommend spiritual books of a higher calibre. But I definitely see at courses we give in the West, many people do not want to go beyond the surface feel good stuff to the real cultivation. As long as there is fluffy talk about love and compassion on the mental level and pretty visualizations you have people's attention. But when they see they amount of work really involved many get scared away. At least Oprah builds some awareness of spirituality.

Oprah is cool by me...she's a sentient being with her own issues, but she's done a great deal of "good" for vast numbers of people, I think. The very fact that she even speaks about "meditation" on the stage she's been given is a minor miracle. Speaking of kindness and compassion, and backing it up with real action, which I think we can all agree she has demonstrated, to whatever capacity she feels comfortable, is to be praised.

Will she liberate sentient beings? Will she bring herself to final realization in this life time? By the evidence, I sincerely doubt it, but ultimately I cannot say. But even we elites, we who have found the genuine Dharma, the genuine teacher, the uncorrupted path, may not either. (Frankly, I think we have a better chance.....and I imagine you all do, too.....but this is all conjecture in the end!)

I aspire to attain whatever qualities and resources may benefit others, and myself, both temporarily and ultimately, and seek to eliminate the sufferings of sentient beings, within my capacity. May all beings, in whatever capacity, benefit themselves and others, to the best of their ability. And may we all have the Karma to connect with the Sublime Dharma and tread the path to the end.

"Absolute Truth is not an object of analytical discourse or great discriminating wisdom,It is realized through the blessing grace of the Guru and fortunate Karmic potential.Like this, mistaken ideas of discriminating wisdom are clarified." - (Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche, from his summary of "The Ocean of Definitive Meaning")

conebeckham, You make some really good points. The problem is the famous and celebrities suck the air out of the room, taking attention away from more important issues so we are often bedazzled by slick words and the glamour of the person and this is a global problem and not confined to Buddhism alone.

conebeckham wrote:I aspire to attain whatever qualities and resources may benefit others, and myself, both temporarily and ultimately, and seek to eliminate the sufferings of sentient beings, within my capacity. May all beings, in whatever capacity, benefit themselves and others, to the best of their ability. And may we all have the Karma to connect with the Sublime Dharma and tread the path to the end.